Assessing the impact on patient-physician interaction when physicians use personal digital assistants: a Northeastern Ohio Network (NEON) study.
Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Ohio; Adolescent; Aged; Young Adult; Physician-Patient Relations; Health Care Surveys; *Physician-Patient Relations; Health Services Research; Computers; Human; Surveys; Middle Age; Adolescence; 80 and over; Handheld/*statistics & numerical data; 80 and Over; Hand-Held – Utilization
BACKGROUND: The effects of the use of technological devices on dimensions that affect the physician-patient relationship need to be well understood. OBJECTIVES: Determine patients' perceptions of physicians' personal digital assistant (PDA) use, comparing the results across 8 physician-patient dimensions important to clinical interactions. RESULTS: Patients completed anonymous surveys about their perceptions of physician PDA use. Data were collected during 2006 and 2007 at 12 family medicine practices. Survey items included physician sex, patient demographics, if physicians explained why they were using the PDA, and Likert ratings on 8 dimensions of how a PDA can influence physician-patient interactions (surprise, confidence, feelings, comfort, communication, relationship, intelligence, and satisfaction). The survey response rate was 78%. Physicians explained to their patients what they were doing with the PDA 64% of the time. Logistic regression analyses determined that patients of male physicians, patients attending private practices and underserved sites, patients with Medicaid insurance, and patients who observed their physician using a PDA during both the index visit and at least one prior visit were more likely to receive an explanation of PDA use. Most importantly, physician-patient communication was rated significantly more positive if an explanation of PDA use was offered. CONCLUSION: Patients rate interactions with their physicians more positively when physicians explain their PDA use.
McCord Gary; Pendleton Brian F; Schrop Susan Labuda; Weiss Lisa; Stockton LuAnne; Hamrich Lynn M
Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM
2009
2009-08
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2009.04.080056" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.3122/jabfm.2009.04.080056</a>
Handheld computer use in a family medicine clerkship.
*Clinical Clerkship; Adult; Computers; Family Practice/*education; Female; Handheld/*statistics & numerical data; Humans; Male; Medical; Ohio; Schools; Software
PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to track students' use of medical and nonmedical personal digital assistant (PDA) software and to obtain students' ratings of the usefulness of PDAs in a family medicine clerkship. METHOD: During the academic year 2001-02, third-year clerkship students at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine were loaned PDAs equipped with company-installed software, such as a date book and address book. Additional software was installed (Griffith's 5 Minute Clinical Consult, ePocrates qRx, ePocrates qID, iSilo, HanDBase, MedCalc, and Application Usage). Pre- and post-orientation questionnaires and a post-rotation evaluation measured students' comfort level, the perceived usefulness, and ratings of programs on their PDA. Application Usage tracked the number of minutes and times students used each software program. RESULTS: Eighty-five students completed the study. They rated ePocrates qRx and Griffith's 5 Minute Clinical Consult the most useful medical software programs. PDAs were rated as "almost always" enhancing the clerkship experience. Students reported the PDA altered the way they accessed clinical information and that every few days it helped them understand a clinical discussion. Experience with computer technology was correlated with PDA use. CONCLUSIONS: This study objectively demonstrates clerkship students' use of PDA resources. Students' use mirrors their assessment of the value of the software. Although PDAs and software programs can be an expense, it is a worthwhile educational resource as evaluated by the medical student.
Sutton John; Stockton LuAnne; McCord Gary; Gilchrist Valerie J; Fedyna Dinah
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges
2004
2004-11
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200411000-00024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1097/00001888-200411000-00024</a>